In the field of packaging containers for foodstuffs several types of packaging containers are well-known. Some of them have a so called gable top shape with or without a screw cap on one of the inclined surfaces forming the top part of the container. One example of such a packaging container is Tetra Rex™ which has been available on the market for many years.
Other packaging containers comprise a container having a body of fiber-based laminate and a top made of polymer with a rather large pouring spout at the top. One example of such a packaging container is Tetra Top™ and is also widely available on the market today.
These packaging containers are made from blanks of carton based material comprising several inner and outer layers of polymer which are laminated together in a lamination apparatus and provided with weakening lines or crease lines along which a converting machine raises the packaging container. In the case of Tetra Rex™ the container is made of the packaging material laminate entirely, while in the case of Tetra Top™ the top part is injection moulded onto a raised tube made from the packaging material laminate.
In the standard version packaging containers are gripped around the circumference of the packaging container when foodstuffs in the container are to be poured out. It would thus be desirable to provide an improved container grip preventing accidental slipping during pouring and improving the handling of the container when being held by a consumer. Also, it would be desirable to improve upon the pouring experience of the consumer.
One solution is provided by US-patent application 2014/0001248 A1 published on 2 Jan. 2014 and filed in the name of the application. The US-application discloses a package for enclosing a liquid food product comprising an area having a tactile pattern for at least indicating intended user grip and/or enhancing decor graphics. Moreover, a blank, a reel of blanks and a method for generating the tactile pattern is disclosed. Although providing solid grip during pouring the contents of the package, the tactile pattern is best held by the consumer by gripping it on each side where the tactile pattern is located.
One other solution is disclosed in the international patent application WO 2005/097606 where a gable top package comprises a gripping arrangement extending over the side and back panel parts of the package intended to be held by the hand of a consumer.
Besides having some aesthetical drawbacks this solution would also naturally introduce bulging in the package, making it difficult to stand on a shelf side by side with other gable-top packages.
Despite the existing solutions described earlier, it would be desirable to provide an aesthetically appealing package which at the same time provides firm grip support when being held and which may improve the pouring experience for the consumer.